Book 45 The Circle

The Circle by Dave Eggers fulfilled the “Book with no chapters/unusual chapter headings/unconventionally numbered chapters” for the PopSugar 2019 Reading Challenge. The novel has no chapters. It is one long set of text, broken up by single blank lines. I listened to the audio and was not aware of the non-chapters. The book was stream of conscious.

And it scared the crap out of me.

Social media and the high level of connectivity are making the world a tiny place. People can find their ancestry, old high school flames, and that neighbor who wronged them years ago. The amount of data out there is mind-blowing. In the wrong hands, that information is an opportunity for many evil deeds.

The premise of the story is basically Facebook goes cancerous and spreads—invades—into every single aspect of people’s lives. The Circle (the company) dictates everything that can be known, should be. Using capital to exploit this notion, they seek to spread the Circle to every section of a person’s life. They encourage people to place mini cameras everywhere. They ask their employees to take part in everything at the company from surveys to picnics to concerts to mandatory posts on social media. There’s a reason most of the workers are young because I think us older peeps would call bullshit.

By the last third of the book, privacy is theft and secrets are lies. These statements shook me to my bones. Privacy is theft? Oh, no, honey. Just no. I’m a private person. I’ll put myself out there a bit for the sake of my books and reaching my readers. But Mae (the main character) opts to wear a camera around her neck 24/7 to be “transparent.” Many others take up the cameras too, including politicians who want to be “clear.” I’d like some transparency in government, but people do not have the right to all information. Some things must be private, secret, or just none of your damn business.

The company uses many of the social engineering techniques I researched for my second book. Guilt, shame, and passive-aggressive behavior shape their employees into doing whatever is asked and they do it happily. “Don’t you think someone with cerebral palsy would want to see what it’s like to paddle a kayak? Why wouldn’t you share your experience with them?” Of course, the answer is yes. Because you would be a terrible person to say no.

But Mae never considers the person asking the question. Why do they get to demand these images, life experiences, secrets from her? Why should anyone be able to watch you do anything? People are entitled to a space of their own. But if they resist, they are shamed into complying. I could see this happening in today’s society.

It’s scary.

“I followed you on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook. You didn’t follow me back. What kind of person doesn’t do that?” But the simple requests in The Circle turn into “Why didn’t you help my daughter get a job? Why didn’t you share your private time with us? I just met you, but why haven’t you give me your all?” That type of entitlement is rampant in today’s society and The Circle hits it on the nose.

The book begs we be careful and watch what we share out there, who we grant permissions to in the name of progress. The novel has a very valid point. Take note, my friend, and change those passwords.

     I give The Circle by Dave Eggers Five Zings.